The Crime Story Is The Real Crime In `Legal Eagles`

How can a crime story about a stolen painting possibly work when you don`t care if its rightful owner ever gets the painting back?

The answer is that the crime story doesn`t work in ``Legal Eagles,`` but that doesn`t mean the film is without its pleasures.

Those pleasures include almost every scene in which defense lawyer Debra Winger tries to sort out her personal and professional relationship with her co-counsel, portrayed by Robert Redford, who hasn`t been this relaxed on film in decades.

That`s why it`s a shame that ``Legal Eagles`` runs these two attractive performers through a tortuous, meaningless stolen-property-and-mu rder mystery, involving a sexpot performance artist (Darryl Hannah) accused of misdeeds in an effort to get back a painting created by her late father.

The firestorms and death threats and double-dealing that occupy this plot make no difference to us. Indeed, the Hannah character could be dropped from the film at no great loss.

That way, Redford could have been the defendant and Winger the lawyer. That would have given them more screen time together, in which case ``Legal Eagles`` could have been something special.

As it now plays, it alternates between being a delight and being terribly frustrating.

On the plus side, Winger continues to be one of the most delightful actresses on the screen today. As always, she creates a different look. It`s hard to believe this is the same actress who played an urban cowgirl or that rebellious yet endearing daughter. This time she wears a tailored lawyer`s suit and speaks in a clipped, controlled manner. It`s a nice, subtle piece of romantic comedy acting.

From the very first moment we see her, we forget every other performance and accept her as a young lawyer. Her competency is never questioned, and yet she allows herself to be vulnerable emotionally without losing dignity.

It`s only Redford who scratches her polished surface, and we see him affect her before she acknowledges it.

As for Redford, how refreshing it is to see him unwind after a very stiff performance in ``Out of Africa.`` Redford displayed a light touch years ago in ``Barefoot in the Park`` (1967) and ``Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid``

(1969), but since achieving stardom with that film, his greatest fault has been to take himself too seriously on film.

This is not the case in ``Legal Eagles.`` Because no one has ever accused Redford of not knowing what he`s doing in front of the camera, he must receive credit for this performance along with director Ivan Reitman (``Stripes,``

``Ghostbusters``), who is used to dealing with such loosey-goosey performers as Bill Murray and Harold Ramis. He and Redford should work together again.

Redford is immediately appealing in light comedy scenes that reveal him as clumsy and as an insomniac. And when in the middle of a sleepless night while watching ``The Late Show`` on TV he sings along with Gene Kelly in

``Singin` in the Rain,`` we wish the scene would go on and on.

But, alas, it`s back to a plot we don`t care a whit about, to a boring art world that serves as a prop for a thriller that isn`t thrilling. Art collectors may get a mild pleasure out of recognizing some of the famous art work on display in the movie, as well as the fakes used when the art is burned.

But movie lovers will want more of Winger and more Redford, both separately and together. If they had more scenes, their romance might seem more credible, rather than being simply the movie convention of ``star loves star.``

It`s a close call on ``Legal Eagles.`` It`s not a total waste of time

--Winger`s performance demands to be seen--but it certainly is a frustrating experience. Why hire two accomplished performers and shackle them with such a stupid story?

``LEGAL EAGLES``

(STAR)(STAR) 1/2

MINI-REVIEW: WINGER SOARS; PLOT BORES

Produced and directed by Ivan Reitman; screenplay by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. based on a story by Ivan Reitman, Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.;

photographed by Laszlo Kovacs; edited by Sheldon Kahn, Pem Herring and William Gordean; a Universal release at the Esquire and outlying theaters. Rated PG.